Mark Reed of Petrolia is one of the few consistent Salvation Army bell ringers working Butler this year. Local donation drive organizers say they could use a few extra volunteer ringers to reach this year's goal.

Only a small group of local bell ringers are signed up to collect cash for the Salvation Army this year, and the organization could use extra hands to meet its annual goal.

As of Monday, Butler’s Salvation Army had collected just $51,000 of its $98,000 goal for the year, according to administrative assistant Amy Tebay. Tebay said she wasn’t sure if the organization would be able to make its goal with the limited number of bell ringers it has working storefronts.

Tebay said the Salvation Army starts each season with a decent number of workers — around 20 total. By Christmas, that number usually dwindles significantly.

This year, the organization is down to just six regular bell ringers working the area around Butler, she said. The office covers roughly the same area as the Butler School District.

Among those six bell ringers is Mark Reed of Petrolia.

Bell ringers like Reed are paid minimum wage for their work. However, it’s a bit late for additional paid ringers to get signed up and on-boarded before Christmas comes and the ringing season ends, according to Tebay.

To volunteer as a bell ringer in the Butler area, call the Salvation Army office at (724) 287-5532.

This is an excerpt — read the full story in Tuesday's Butler Eagle.